Dermot O'Leary will be your host for the ceremony at London's O2 arena, as the likes of Doctor Who, Sherlock, Downton, X Factor and, yes, even The Big Bang Theory duke it out for those precious gongs.
Digital Spy will be there from the rumoured Pudsey 'Gangnam Style' dance opening right through to the bitter end, bringing you updates and commentary in our live blog as the winners are announced. Anyone can join us, but we do have one rule - no grumbling about the results if you didn't vote!
The National Television Awards begin tonight (January 23) at 7.30pm on ITV.
22:06The 2013 NTAs end on a touching note as the Corrie team pay tribute again to Bill Tarmey. RIP Bill. So that's it for another year, folks. Thanks for joining us here at Digital Spy and please let us know your thoughts on tonight's ceremony and results in the comments below. We're just off to Google David Witts again...just to confirm that there really is nothing worth seeing. Good night!
22:00And the winner is...Coronation Street. What do you think of that folks? Did the best soap win?
© ITV
21:58Ok folks, we're in the home stretch. It's time for the big one....the 'Serial Drama' award, presented by legendary cheeseballs Donny and Marie Osmond.
21:57Oooh, some good stuff from our DS mole at the NTAs...Julian Fellowes has said he's "sure" Shirley MacLaine will be back on Downton Abbey. Hoorah!
21:54Wow, we don't know if we've ever seen Joanna Lumley in tears. She's about to set us off! That obviously meant so much to her.
21:51The recipient of this year's 'Special Recognition' award is the Absolutely Fabulous Joanna Lumley. Hilarious, glamorous, inspiring - what a worthy winner. Jennifer Saunders, David Attenborough, Martin Scorsese and even David Cameron are among those paying tribute to her. Though hearing Bill Roache, aka Ken Barlow, gushing about her feels just a little bit creepy now that we know about his 1,000 women.
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21:45Yes, shout out to the Winkle! Every winner tonight should give a shout out to the Winkle. She is that awesome. Dermot does a little tongue in cheek bit afterwards about how Simon is going to beat up The X Factor team. We imagine he's joking, but there seems to be genuine fear in his eyes.
21:42McFly come on to present the 'Talent Show' award and do an actually quite funny bit poking fun at the fact that nobody gives a crap about Danny Jones. The NTA goes to Strictly Come Dancing, which is surely going to annoy the heck out of Simon Cowell. Good luck to anyone auditioning for Britain's Got Talent tonight...
21:38We have a lot of time for the 'Prince Charles' account. Always delivers...
One really cannot understand how Downton Abbey runs with so few staff. #NTAs
— Prince Charles (@Charles_HRH) January 23, 2013
21:36There's been some grumbling about Emmett Scanlan losing the 'Serial Drama Performance' award, but the man himself doesn't seem too bothered:
Massive congratulations to the man that is @alanhalsall Twas an absolute honour to be part of the #NTAs amongst such legends...
— Emmett J. Scanlan (@EmmettScanlan) January 23, 2013
© PA Images / Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
21:34Downton Abbey wins the 'Drama' award and Bradley James of Merlin is not happy. Someone screengrab his huffing, now!
21:32Richard Hammond, gracious in defeat:
Congrats Paul o Grady on #NTA - My daughters are delighted! TG team couldn't be there, so didn't have to pull 'the face' when we lost. Yay!
— Richard Hammond (@thehamsterscage) January 23, 2013
21:27Oh Lord, June Brown is a mess. A wonderful, delightful, hilarious mess. She completely forgets Benidorm (understandable) and makes it painfully obvious that she has never heard of The Big Bang Theory when reading out the nominees for 'Best Situation Comedy', which goes to Mrs Brown's Boys.
© PA Images / Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
21:25Well, that performance of Ella's was amazing. But we wonder if James Arthur's a little miffed to not get an invite.
21:23Has a cheeky look on Google images...
It's really not worth looking at David Witts' Lonsdale modelling pictures. Honestly, nothing to see. Nothing AT ALL. #NTAs
— Ryan Love (@RyanJL) January 23, 2013
21:22Time for another performance, this time from arguably the most talented act in last year's X Factor, Ella Henderson. She's singing the wonderful version of Cher's 'Believe' that she debuted at Boot Camp. DS witnessed her singing it the first time around, and if we can't quite get our heads around how much has changed for her since then, goodness knows where her mind's at.
21:19Some backstage gossip coming in from our Digital Spy roving reporters - Eamonn Holmes and Ruth couldn't be at the O2 to accept This Morning's award because their car turned up an hour late (oops), and Corrie's Alan Halsall is wearing Bill Tarmey's watch as tribute (aaw).
© PA Images / Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
21:17From one lovely dog to another, here's Pudsey doing 'Gangnam Style'. Now hopefully this'll officially be the death of that song. Simon Cowell's favourite dog and his human second fiddle Ashleigh are here to present the NTA for 'Soap Newcomer', which goes to Eastenders star David Witts. We suspect this award is more down to his abs than his acting talent, but whatever, it's your choice. Booing his girlfriend was a bit unnecessary though. What do you think is audience, Celebrity Big Brother?
21:09OMG, THE CUTEST DOGS IN THE WORLD!!!!! Um, sorry...back to business. The award for 'Factual Entertainment' goes to...oh, Paul O'Grady: For The Love Of Dogs. I guess NTAs voters are just as easily won over by precious pugs as I am.
21:05Right, seriously, Pointless is pretty much our favourite thing in the world - and not just because we're bloody good at it - so we're very happy to see hosts Alexander Armstrong and the gargantuan Richard Osman make an appearance at the NTAs.
21:03Also, did Cowell just call Scherzy 'Nicola'? Poor form.
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21:02Shocker! Ant and Dec win the 'Entertainment Presenter(s)' award(s). They give their acceptance speech on stage at Britain's Got Talent auditions, and we gotta say, anyone who can remain professional with Simon Cowell sneaking up behind them really deserves an award.
20:59Yay, it's Scherzy! She's presenting the 'Entertainment Presenter' award on the off chance that Dermot wins it. But really, Ant and Dec have got this locked down. We've got a lot of love for Keith Lemon's Dixons quip to Kelly Brook though.
20:55Hmm, so is that another NTA in the bag for Ant and Dec then?
About to live link to the NTAs from auditions at the London Palladium. Exciting times! #bgt
— bgtpress (@bgtpress) January 23, 2013
20:54Our Tyrone's only gone and done it! Coronation Street's Alan Halsall wins the 'Serial Drama Performance' award. It's probably the most emotional win of the night so far - he looks genuinely flabbergasted by the result, his wife Lucy-Jo Hudson (one of the nicest people we've ever met, by the way) is in tears, and he finishes by dedicating his award to the late Bill Tarmey (Jack Duckworth). 'Scuse us, we've got something in our eye.
20:50Apologies for the silence there everyone, just been having a few technical difficulties with the blog. Anyway, it was only right we stayed silent while the people behind London 2012 took a bow and grabbed their 'Landmark' NTA.
20:34Ah, never mind Whovians. Miranda Hart wins for Call The Midwife. She's in Australia so can't accept the award in person (boo), but on the plus side, her absence allows for the bizarre scene of Julian Fellowes lusting after Gary Barlow and Hugh Jackman on her behalf. Wonder if GB will get a cameo on Downton after this?
© BBC
20:31Julian Fellowes clearly wants to retire to his drawing room with a nice glass of brandy, because he wastes no time in reeling off the nominees for 'Drama Performance: Female' - Miranda Hart (Call The Midwife), Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey), Sheridan Smith (Mrs Biggs) and departed Doctor Who companion Karen Gillan. So, we're #TeamKaren right?
20:27Right, stop the awards for a sec, we want to hear Kimberley Walsh sing. She's belting out 'One Day I'll Fly Away', and even though she's not quite Nicole Kidman, she is at least singing live (we think) and you know, looks amazing. So yay, Kimberley!
20:20100% agree, fake Ken Barlow. Look this up on YouTube, now!:
#NTAsThey should have shown the "Fanny Chmelar" clip for The Chase
— Ken Barlow (@I_am_KenBarlow) January 23, 2013
20:18This Morning beat The Chase, Come Dine With Me and Jeremy Kyle to the award, their fourth according to Schofield. It was probably the man with the giant penis what won it for them.
© PA Images / Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
20:15Get back to the windmill, Davies:
Backstage goss: Alan Davies can't celebrate much tonight - he's filming Jonathan Creek in the morning! He was hoping to hit a "seedy" club!
— Digital Spy (@digitalspy) January 23, 2013
20:14Blimey, that's what Mrs Brown looks like in real life? Wowzers. Scarily though, the voice pretty much hasn't changed. Anyway, enough gawking - we've got an award to give away for the 'Best Daytime Programme'.
20:12Ooh, now this is the first big clash of the night. It's Doctor Who's Matt Smith vs Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch, Merlin's Colin Morgan and someone else that DS readers don't really care for in the 'Male Drama Performance' category.
And the winner is Colin Morgan. It's an excellent result and a fitting tribute to all his great work on Merlin
And the winner is Colin Morgan. It's an excellent result and a fitting tribute to all his great work on Merlin
© PA Images / Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
20:10Well, look at that. Dermot got to do some dancing after all, and it's with Strictly Come Dancing rival Darcey Bussell. Glad to see the two shows are friends really. We want Nicole Scherzinger with Bruce Forsyth next. "Nice to Scherzy you, to Scherzy you..."
20:08Oh blimey, yes. We'd blocked that from our memory:
He will always be Georgias dad in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. #NTAs
— ╪ natalie ╪(@takethatarelife) January 23, 2013
20:05QI win the 'Comedy Panel Show' award. They also win the award for 'Most Jaunty Theme Tune', which I've just made up. It'd be mean, but wouldn't it be great if that QI flashing siren effect went off the second Alan Davies got up to the mike, and it turned out that Have I Got News For You got the award instead.
20:04Ut oh, Jack Whitehall's been handed control of the microphone to present the 'Comedy Panel Show' award. Daily Mail readers, stand by your phones!
© PA Images / Yui Mok/PA Wire
19:58Hmm...drowning elephants. Way to bring down the mood, NTAs. Anyway, Frozen Planet bags the trophy and Joanna Lumley collects the 'well-spoken, national treasure' baton to accept the award on behalf of Sir David Attenborough.
19:56Professor Brian Cox is here to present the 'Best Factual' award. Every man in the audience crosses his legs when One Born Every Minute is mentioned.
19:52Ah, we got our shot of Martin Freeman after all. And he looked suitably grumpy. We're happy. Gary Barlow gets the biggest cheer as Dermot scans the crowd for celebrity guests, while Philip Schofield, Holly Willoughby, Paul O'Grady and Dermy himself get embarrassed with photos of themselves at age 18. In short, Holly looked exactly as beautiful as she does now and we don't know how that is possible, Dermot looked like Vanilla Ice.
19:51Nice gag. But TMI, right?
19:42
Charlie Brooks couldn't be there because she'd rather watch her friend go through labour. Wise choice #ntas
— Ian Hyland (@HylandIan) January 23, 2013
19:41So, I'm a Celebrity bag the first award of the night. Collecting the gong are Ashley Roberts and that wonderful, crazy broad Helen Flanagan. Oh god, what we wouldn't give for a Carrie-style dumping of witchetty grubs to occur now.
19:38TOWIE are also among the nominees. Frankly, we expect the camera to cut to an annoyed Martin Freeman at every award ceremony this show is nominated at.
© PA Images / Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
19:37Are Charlie Brook's camel penis eating skills award worthy? We're about to find out...
19:36Blimey, these guys aren't hanging around. We're on to our first award, for 'Best Entertainment Programme'. First up to present are new national treasures Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. Dermot pipped us to a 'soggy bottoms' joke. #miffed
19:34Sadly there's no Deremettes about when Dermot makes his entrance to the O2, but there are some lovely Olympic drummers. Let's get this party started!
19:33Here we go! Dermot does a lovely little nod to the James Bond bit from the Olympics, bumping in to Downton's Carson and Pudsey on the way to meeting David Walliams, who's doing his best impression of the blonde baddie from Skyfall impression. And we though Javier Bardem was creepy...
19:29We know who we're keeping our fingers crossed for tonight...Dave Berry's driver:
I'm no Sherlock but judging by what he's saying I suspect my driver Alan really wants to bang my co-host @lisa_snowdon #NTA2013 #NTAs
— daveberry (@daveberry_tweet) January 23, 2013
19:28So, who are you backing tonight everybody? Crazy for Corrie? Bonkers about Benedict? Leave your comments below!
19:26Evening everybody. Are you all excited for this year's National Television Awards? Some members of team Digital Spy are down at the O2 right now, mingling with the celebs in their gorgeous gowns and soaking up all the free bubbly they can. Meanwhile, I'm sat at home in my PJs. Don't feel bad for me though - you can't get pizza delivered to the NTAs.
